re: 2022 Formula 1 Season Thread

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Has Merc really brought any upgrades this week, or really this year?

They had a couple floors, but can imagine the frustration if you show up every weekend and just try to minimize damage because there are no attempts to improve the car.

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Based on what can be divined from what they say they can't do much but guess until they identify the root of the issue. I think the cap has them concerned about just throwing shite at the wall which they would most definitely have done if there were no cap.

They obviously got the aero of the floor fundamentally wrong but so did Ferrari. I think the difference on the floor side is the Ferrari full side pods allow it to settle quicker. My mental redneck fluid dynamics suggests to me the W13 floor may vibrate up and down toward the edges and while the F1-75 settles quickly the extra flexibility allows the outsides of the W13 to move up and down taking it longer to "hook up" in the turns. Just a complete WAG.

I think added to this the car is draggy which one of the engineers explained but I just can't see the W13 having more drag than the F1-75 but that's why I ain't no aerodynamicist. Well, that and middling grades in Diffy Qs didn't help that either.

I am not cryin' for Merc but I am a little surprised they don't seem to be getting it together. That being said they may show up in Barcelona with the major issues sorted and ready to fine tune the car.

I'm wondering if they are saving up for a major change rather than adding pieces as they come. Maybe they went down the wrong road with their first attempts and are just going for a total revamp.

Just crazy to see them floundering and appearing as if they aren't making a real attempt.

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I'm wondering if they are saving up for a major change rather than adding pieces as they come

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I think they have to do a major change because as Toto has alluded any benefits of a smaller change could be lost in the noise since as it stands their signal to noise ratio is practically zero due to the porpoising.

It has to be unbelievably frustrating for Lewis. He wants 8 and we all know why he wants 8, there was a time last year he figured he had it and 20 or so minutes he was "sure" he did. I think it took a lot for him to come back and when he did they built a shite (for Merc) car. Even if they build him another rocket ship he knows his skills are eroding and he has a hungry teammate that could well play Lewis to his Fernando or maybe more accurately a Nico to his Michael.

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I think added to this the car is draggy which one of the engineers explained but I just can't see the W13 having more drag than the F1-75 but that's why I ain't no aerodynamicist. Well, that and middling grades in Diffy Qs didn't help that either.

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Also not an aerodynamicist

I've mentioned this a few times but I wonder if the slim sidepod concept really is just all wrong, that once past the side pods they lose any ability to direct air and they end up with a turbulent mess by the time that air hits the rear section of the car. , and that's the source of their draggy characteristics. They always seem to be near the bottom on straight line speed as well.

I think it says a lot that other teams were rumored to have looked into a similar design and then just scrapped it in the trash. My guess is Mercedes may be staring at a wall looking for a way to maximize potential on a concept that just might not be there.

Now how about this recovery?

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a lot that other teams were rumored to have looked into a similar design and then just scrapped it in the trash.

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Ferrari said this directly.

Good thing I looked up the schedule as I see there is a practice at 0530. May have to watch the DVR of that but do have alarm set.

Rachel, you aren't a Tifosi just like you aren't a fans. You can be a member/part of the Tifosi though as my Italian F1 friends have taught me.